Micro/nanoplastics: from synthesis to assimilation, global environmental impacts, challenges, consequences, and advanced remediation strategies.
5 affiliations
- 1Key Laboratory of Water-Sediment Sciences and Water Disaster Prevention of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology Changsha 410114 China [email protected].
- 2Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Yildiz Technical University Esenler Istanbul 34220 Türkiye.
- 3Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23200 Pakistan.
- 4UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392 Pretoria 0002 South Africa [email protected].
- 5School of Agriculture, Yunnan University Kunming 650504 Yunnan China.
Abstract
Environmental pollution has become a hot research topic and a grave issue throughout the world. The presence of plastic and its derivatives almost everywhere and in every segment of the environment has polluted water (the marine environment), soil, and even the atmosphere. Plants, animals and microorganisms are all equally affected. In this review article, we have discussed in detail the applications of plastics, especially micro/nanoplastics, their global distribution and their uses. The aging of plastic and its consequences on the physical and chemical properties of plastic-based materials is discussed. The effects of micro/nanoplastics on water, soil, plants, crop productivity, and animals (both aquatic and terrestrial) have been discussed in detail. Recycling of plastics (physical and chemical) and techniques for their eradication, including physical, biological and advanced chemical methods, to cope with plastic-based pollution have been discussed. The theory and mechanisms behind the biotic removal, adsorption, density separation, ultrafiltration, froth floatation, ozonation, coagulation, electrocatalytic oxidation and photocatalytic oxidation of micro/nanoplastics to deal with plastic pollution and its impacts properly have been discussed in detail. Although several review articles on the eradication of plastics have been published, and a huge amount of research work to reduce the impacts of plastic-based pollution is underway, the eradication mechanisms are still in the developmental stages and systematic debates are lacking. This review article presents a detailed discussion of the recent expansions in the removal of plastic-based materials and their upcycling into energy-rich compounds. The role of biochar in the removal of plastic-based materials is also debated. Finally, future perspectives and research gaps in the field of plastic-based pollution and the removal of micro/nanoplastics from various sectors of the environment are presented.
Related
- Editorial: Micro-and nanoplastics in agroecosystems: plant responses, soil interactions, and remediation strategies
- Micro- and nanoplastics in human biological materials: a systematic review of detection methods and methodological challenges
- Microbial remediation of recalcitrant pollutants in soil and geo-environmental engineering systems
- Foams for enhanced remediation of NAPL-contaminated soils and aquifers: A review of foam formation, stability, and environmental applications
- Lignocellulose-based hydrogels for environmental remediation: Structure-function relationships, adsorption mechanism, and pathways towards sustainable water treatment
BibTeX
@article{rizwan2026micronanoplastics,
title = {{Micro/nanoplastics: from synthesis to assimilation, global environmental impacts, challenges, consequences, and advanced remediation strategies.}},
author = {Muhammad Rizwan and Amir Zada and Ghulam Murtaza and Nolubabalo Matinise and Hong Chen},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra08464h},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898836},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Micro/nanoplastics: from synthesis to assimilation, global environmental impacts, challenges, consequences, and advanced remediation strategies.
AU - Muhammad Rizwan
AU - Amir Zada
AU - Ghulam Murtaza
AU - Nolubabalo Matinise
AU - Hong Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra08464h
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898836
AB - Environmental pollution has become a hot research topic and a grave issue throughout the world. The presence of plastic and its derivatives almost everywhere and in every segment of the environment has polluted water (the marine environment), soil, and even the atmosphere. Plants, animals and microorganisms are all equally affected. In this review article, we have discussed in detail the applications of plastics, especially micro/nanoplastics, their global distribution and their uses. The aging of plastic and its consequences on the physical and chemical properties of plastic-based materials is discussed. The effects of micro/nanoplastics on water, soil, plants, crop productivity, and animals (both aquatic and terrestrial) have been discussed in detail. Recycling of plastics (physical and chemical) and techniques for their eradication, including physical, biological and advanced chemical methods, to cope with plastic-based pollution have been discussed. The theory and mechanisms behind the biotic removal, adsorption, density separation, ultrafiltration, froth floatation, ozonation, coagulation, electrocatalytic oxidation and photocatalytic oxidation of micro/nanoplastics to deal with plastic pollution and its impacts properly have been discussed in detail. Although several review articles on the eradication of plastics have been published, and a huge amount of research work to reduce the impacts of plastic-based pollution is underway, the eradication mechanisms are still in the developmental stages and systematic debates are lacking. This review article presents a detailed discussion of the recent expansions in the removal of plastic-based materials and their upcycling into energy-rich compounds. The role of biochar in the removal of plastic-based materials is also debated. Finally, future perspectives and research gaps in the field of plastic-based pollution and the removal of micro/nanoplastics from various sectors of the environment are presented.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -